Wire line cutter



Jan. 15, 1963 L. w. CHII-:NAULT WIRE LINE CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJune 21, 1960 Fig. 3

Fig. 2

Jan. 15, 1963 L. w. cHENAuLT WIRE LINE CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJune 21. 19.60

Lau/s M. Chenau/f INVENTOR. Man... BY gy@ am,

United States arent Gfice 3,073,388 Patented Jan. l5, 1963 3,073,388WIRE LINE CUTTER Louis W. Chenault, 5015 Evergreen Lane, Victoria, Tex.Filed June 21, 1960, Ser. No. 37,716 Claims. (Cl. 166-545) Thisinvention relates to a cutting tool especially adapted for the cuttingof cable lines at inaccessible locations, such as within the bore of anoil well casing.

In well drilling and other similar operations it frequently becomesnecessary to insert tools or equipment for various purposes such ascleaning the bottom of the well which tools or equipment are operated oractuated by cables from which they are suspended. It frequently occurs,however, that such cable actuated equipment becomes lodged within thewell bore and cannot be withdrawn by the actuating cable. It accordinglybecomes necessary to cut the cable and then insert into the well boresome form of retrieving or shing tool so as to remove the equipmentlodged within the well bore. Many forms of wire cable line cuttingdevices have therefore been employed in the past in order to cut thecable to which the lodged equipment is attached prior to the retrievaloperation. A common expedient formerly used for actuating such cableline cutters has included the use of an explosive charge which whenfired actuates the cutter blade of the cutting tool to sever the cable.However, the cutting tools heretofore used either required the insertionthereof alongside of the cable within the well bore requiring thereforethe use of cutting tools. of a necessarily smaller dimension or the useof cutting tools wherein the firing of the explosive charge reliedeither on the use of externally actuated mechanism and hence additionalequipment or relied upon inertia or impact force applied to the cuttingtool device on dropping thereof into the Well bore which latter method`of firing was of course unreliable.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide vanexplosive type of cable line cutting tool device which is more reliablethan those heretofore used and which is of simpler construction and moreeiciently operative than the cutting devices heretofore known.

Another object of this invention in accordance with the foregoingobjects, is to provide a cable line cutting device which is particularlyadaptable for cutting cables within awell bore at a remotelyinaccessible location and includes an explosive charge for actuating thecutter blade of the cutting tool, said explosive charge being fired by atiming mechanism thereby eliminating the need for any external source tofire the explosive charge.

An additional object of this invention in. accordance with the foregoingobjects is to provide a time explosive actuated cutting tool which isslidably disposed about the cable and which cutting device is operativeto cut the cable adjacent to the equipment lodged within the well boreso as to prevent damage to the well bore by the cut cable and furtherensuring no damage to the well bore by clamping the cut end of the cableto the cutting tool device so that the cut cable may also be withdrawnwith the cutting tool device from the well bore.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE l is a sectional View taken through a typical well bore casingshowing the cable line cutter device on a cable which is to be cut.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view with parts shown in section of thecutter tool made in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the cutter tool from another sidethereof.

FIGURE 4 is a partial enlarged sectional View of the cutter tool device.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the cutter blade.

FIGURE 6` is a transverse sectional view taken through a plane indicatedby section line 6 6 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional view taken through a plane indicatedIby section line 7 7 in FIGURE 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGURE l illustrates a well casing12 within which a piece of equipment generally indicated by thereference numeral 14 has been suspended by an `actuating cable 16, saidequipment having become lodged within the well bore of casing 12 so thatthe cutting tool device generally indicated by the reference numeral 10has been slidably inserted over the cable 16 and dropped down to theposition shown in FIG- URE l abutting against the lodged equipment 14.As will hereafter be explained, the cutting tool 1()` will fire afterthe lapse of -a predetermined length of time and sever the cableadjacent to its connection to the equipment 14, said cable beingsubsequently clamped tot the cutter tool 10' so that the tool 10 withthe cable 16 may be withdrawn from the bore of the well casing 12.Retrieval of the lodged equipment may thereafter be attempted.

Referring now to FIGURES 2ly 3 and 6 it will be observed that the cuttertool 10` is disposed within a cylindrical casing structure which isconstituted by sections 1S and 20. The sections are held assembled toeach other by means of bolts the heads of which are recessed within-apertures 22. and 24 as will be seen in FIGURE 3, the sections 18 and20 also being held in assembled position by means of alignment pins 26and 28 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 2. The sections 18 and 20 alsoform a longitudinal slot 30 Vtherealong which terminates in a` centrallydisposed bore 32 through which the cable 16 may extend. Also, as will bemore clearly seen in FIGURE 6, semi-circular recesses 34 and 36 areformed respectively within the casing sections 18 and 2li so as toconfront each other and form a mounting bore within the tool casing.

As will be observed in FIGURES 4 and 7, a recess 318y casing sections 1Sand 20 as will more clearly be seen. in FIGURE 7. The blade 40 isretained asillustratedy on one side of the cable receiving bore 32 byany suitable means such as a shear pin 41. cross-sectionallyillustrated. in FIGURE 4, said shear pin extending through the loweraperture 43 formed in the blade 40 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 5. Thelower edge 46 of the cutter blade 40 constitutes :a cutting `edge whichcooperates with the edge 48s on the recess- 38 to thereby sever thecable 16,.

the cable subsequently being clamped within the recess 3S by the sidesurface 50 of the cut-ter blade 40 as will be apparent inv FIGURE 4.

In order to actuate the cutter blade 40, an actuating mechanism isprovided therefor and is mounted within faV tubular cylindrical member52 which is inserted within the cylindrical bore formed by recesses 34and'36 as hereinbefore described. Slidably mounted :at the lower end of'the tubular member S12 is a piston ram member 54 which 1has a portion56 which abuts against a depress-ion 53 formed on the cutter blade 40'so that the pivotal movement of the cutter blade 4G relative to the'slidable piston member portion S6r may be accommodated. A cylindricalmember 60 is fastened to lthe tubular member 52 and to the casing bymeans of pin 62` said member 60 forming the bead end of a cylinder forthe piston member 54 and also defining `an expansion chamber 64. Apowder charge containing shell 66 is disposed within a bore of thecylinder head member 60 and has a tiring pin 68 disposed at the upperend thereof. It will therefore be apparent that the explosive shell 66when tired by contact of a firing mechanism with the firing pin 68, thepowder charge will explode into chamber 64 so that expanding gases inchamber 64 force the piston member downwardly and thereby actuate thecutter blade 40 with an impact suicien-t to sever the cable. It will beobvious that when the `actuating impact is applied to the blade 40, theshear pin 41 is sheared and the blade thereafter will project into theinternal cavity of recess 38 to hold the severed cable clamped therein.Thus, the blade is effective to maintain the cable clamped in the recess3S after its severing action so that a pull applied to the cablethereabove may withdraw the cutting tool from the oil well bore withinthe casing 12.

The tiring mechanism for contacting the firing pin 68 of the powdercharge shell 66 is mounted Within a tubular member 70 which isthreadedly engaged with the tubular member 52 of the actuating mechanismas will more clearly be seen in FIGURES 2 [and 4. Slidably disposedwithin the lower end of the tubular member 7 0 is a holder member 72' ofa tiring mechanism generally indicated by reference numeral 74. Disposedwithin the holder member 72 isa battery 76 which is retained withinmember 72 by a cap member 78 threadedly engaged with the lower end ofthe member 72 as will more clearly be seen in FIGURE 4. lt willtherefore be apparent that upon contact of the battery 76 with thetiring pin 68` of the explosive shell 66, the charge therein will re tothereby cause the actuating explosion.

The firing mechanism 74 is actuated by means of a timing mechanismgenerally indicated by the reference numeral 80. The timing mechanism 80is operatively connected to the tiring mechanism 74 by means of rodmember 82 which is threadedly engaged with the member 72 of the tiringmechanism. The timing mechanism 80 may be of any type well known tothose skilled in the art such as spring actuated gear type of timingmechanism or clock work type of mechanism, 4it being understood, ofcourse, that the specic details of the timing mechanism per se form nopart of this invention. The only requirement of the timing mechanism tobe used is that it is enclosed within a tubular casing such asillustrated in FIGURE 2 so as to extend the rod 82 with respect theretoafter a preset amount of time for displacing member 72 of ring mechanism74 into contact with the tiring pin of shell 66.

From the foregoing description the operation and the purposes for whichthe cutter device made in accordance with this invention may be used, isapparent. It will therefore be recognized as previously noted that thecutting device is extremely simple and eflicient in operation andembodies a method of cutting cable which differs from the methodsheretofore used. As a result of the novel method and apparatus,externally initiated actuation of the explosive charge and theadditional equipment incident thereto is avoided. Also, the cutteractuation is accomplished with much more reliability than wouldheretofore be possible with explosive actuated cutting devices whichrelied upon inertia or impact forces for tiring thereof. The cuttingdevice is also more efficient because of the clamping action involvedbetween the cutter blade Iand the cut end of the cable whereby the cutend of the cable is prevented from damaging the Well bore and enablesimmediate withdrawal of the cutting tool.

I'he foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modilications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, yall suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. ApparatusA for cutting cable at a remotely inaccessible location inIa Well bore comprising, tool casing means through which said cableextends, cutter means operatively mounted in said casing means fordisplacement therewithin, cable clamp-ing recess means disposed withinsaid casing means for receiving said cable and said cutter means to cutyand then clamp the cable to said casing means in response to displacingimpact applied to the cutter means, explosive means disposed within saidcasing means, explosive force transmitting means operativelyinterconnecting said explosive means and cutter means for impartingdisplacing impact to the cutter means, tiring means operatively mountedwithin said casing means and actuatable to tire said explosive means andtiming mechanism mounted within said casing means and operativelyconnected to said tiring means for 'actuation thereof after apredetermined time following positioning of the casing means lat saidremotely inaccessible location in the well bore.

' 2. The apparatus as defined in claim l, wherein said casing means iscylindrical and has a central bore within which the cable is looselydisposed, said timing mechanism, ring means and force transmitting meansbeing slidably mounted within said casing means on one side of the cableWhile the cutter means is pivotally mounted in said casing means forpivotal movement from said one side into said recess means on the otherside of the cable displacing a cut end portion of the cable intoclamping relation within 'the recess means after cutting of the cable.

3. Apparatus for cutting cable at a remotely inaccessible location in awell comprising, a casing having a centrally disposed bore through whichthe cable extends, cutter means pivotally mounted in the casing andretained on one side of the bore, clamping recess means mounted on theother side of the bore for receiving a severed end portion of said cableand the cutter means in response to pivotal displacement of the cuttermeans across said bore to cut the cable and self-contained actuatingmeans mounted in :the casing and operatively connected to said cuttermeans.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said actuating means includes,time-controlled explosive means mounted on said one side of the casingand operatively connected to the cutter means for :actuation thereof apredetermined period of time after insert of the apparatus within thewell.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said clamping recess meanscomprises, an internal side wall downwardly inclined away from saidcentrally disposed bore a distance substantially in excess of thediameter of said cable, and a lower arcuate wall interconnecting saidside Wall and said bore to form an internal cavity in communication withsaid bore, said lower arcuate wall being dimensioned for contact withsaid cutter means in clamping relation to said severed end portion ofthe cable.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,764,222 Morrison et al June 17, 1930 1,813,368 TOleS July 7, 19311,832,924 Bleecker Nov. 24, 1931 2,156,228 Phipps Apr. 25, 19392,185,303 Kinley Jan. 2, 1940 3,010,515 Harrison et al Nov. 28, 1961

3. APPARATUS FOR CUTTING CABLE AT A REMOTELY INACCESSIBLE LOCATION IN AWELL COMPRISING, A CASING HAVING A CENTRALLY DISPOSED BORE THROUGH WHICHTHE CABLE EXTENDS, CUTTER MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN THE CASING ANDRETAINED ON ONE SIDE OF THE BORE, CLAMPING RECESS MEANS MOUNTED ON THEOTHER SIDE OF THE BORE FOR RECEIVING A SEVERED END PORTION OF SAID CABLEAND THE CUTTER MEANS IN RESPONSE TO PIVOTAL DISPLACEMENT OF THE CUTTERMEANS ACROSS SAID BORE TO CUT THE CABLE AND SELF-CONTAINED ACTUATINGMEANS MOUNTED IN THE CASING AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CUTTERMEANS.